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A Maglev Train System for Florida?
Artifice_Eternity writes "For 20 years, citizens of Florida have been pushing for high-speed rail, as an alternative to the state's ever-growing, yet ever-crowded highways. A previous plan, the Florida Overland eXpress (FOX), was
killed by governor Jeb Bush in 1998. The voters responded by passing a referendum to require the building of a "bullet train," starting by November 2003.
The new
Florida High Speed Rail Authority is focusing first on the busy Miami-Orlando and Tampa-Orlando corridors, but eventually hopes to serve the whole state.
And they are seriously considering maglev technology! If the Florida HSR system did use maglev, it would be the largest one in the world. (Right now, maglev is in use on test tracks in
Germany and Japan, with a 30-kilometer system under construction in Shanghai.)
However, I like this humorous proposal best: it takes the idea of a "bullet train" literally, using the Jules Verne approach to propulsion."
Actually, digitallis is rather clueless. Maglevs will do just fine in the environment. As to the power needs, wether using Highspeed rail or Maglev monorail, the power needs are high. But it is not only very doable, but desireable to use multiple power sources spread around florida rather than several large power stations and a large number of cars (Major polluters).
A maglev would actually have several advantages down there:
1) Ability to operate in a hurricane. H2o is not an issue.
2) no problem with grandpa sitting on the track not hearing the 200 MPH train coming at him (Rail has a very high death rate, while monorail, which is eleveted, is closer to 0% than 1%).
3) Most Monorails have run with an operating profit. None of the Highspeed rail currently do.
400 miles? If you are in Orlando, you'll be unable to find a 400 mile trip along I4. Tampa is only 75 miles away, and the other end of I4 (Daytona) is even less. It's not even 400 miles from Orlando to Miami (it's only 200).
400 miles would take you almost to Atlanta, which won't be participating in our little High Speed Rail fiasco.
Take a Greyhound. That's what I did when I was going to school in Gainesville. It doesn't take very long on trips like Orlando to Tampa, or Orlando to Miami. It's cheap ($20), and it's not going to cause the taxpayers to be ripped off beyond their wildest imaginations. This rail thing is a huge waste.
the magnets required to keep a train aloft would be gigantic.
Not really. Google on "halbach magnet" and "inductrack". It can be done with quite modest permanent magnets (comparatively speaking). No superconductors or electric power needed!